Live Me, Breathe Me
by kc creation
Summary: It may have been the old, creepy house, or the ghost that lurked within its walls, but something gave Haru the distinct feeling that he was living in a horror movie. kyoxharu
1. The Incorporeal Being

On a whim, I decided to read through a few of my favorite self-written stories, and my older story _'They Say These Tears Don't Show', _inspired me to begin another horrorish fiction. This has nothing what-so-ever to do with that plot though, but it is a very cliche ghostfic.

It's another chapter story, even though I promised myself I wouldn't start another. I've just wanted to write something like this since I first joined this site, so I hope you're as excited as I am!

-------

**Live Me, Breathe Me**

_prologue_

Red is a lucky color.

At least, that's what I've heard.

It's also the color of the sky right before dark, and those beautiful carnations lovers buy for eachother on Valentines day. Red is the color of stoplights, and stopsigns, and the warning banners on the back of medicine bottles, telling you to take with caution.

Red is the color of _blood_.

It really clashes with your hair, you know? Dark crimson and neon orange weren't made for eachother. Maybe that's why you're so goddamn **ugly**, on both the inside and out. Maybe it's what makes you so hard to handle.

"Please!" You scream, but the sound is muffled by the rope tied between your lips. You have such pretty lips, way too plump for a boy. _Virgin lips_, I tell myself. You've never been kissed, have you?

"Has anyone ever.. fucked you, _baby_?" I murmer, and it sounds so deliciously _bad_.

You cry out, begging me to _'please let you go', _pulling uselessly against your bindings. Baby, you're about as useless as your attempts, always trying to make something of such a useless life; It disgusts me.

"This is what you get," I whisper in your bloody ear. "this is what you get for being such a little _bitch_."

I kiss you, against the roughness of the gag.

"You knew I wanted you, but you just couldn't put out, could you?"

I take you as mine, the sound of your screams only making it more erotic, and when I'm done, I stare down at your once so beautiful face, smeared with blood and littered with bruises. Stupid kid, having such faith in a pervert like me.

Your eyes scream for escape, they beg for an easy way out, so I feel no regret as I run my knife across your throat.

---

**Chapter One**

**"The Incorporeal Being"**

The warm summer wind felt good against his face, and even though he knew it was going to mess up the hair he'd spent oh-so-long preparing, Haru couldn't bring himself to care. He had to fight for his spot in the front seat, and _dammit_, he was going to enjoy it.

"Are we there yet?" He could hear Hiro whine from the backseat, and he scoffed at his younger sibling's behavior.

Kisa, who wasn't complaining -just sitting calmly next to her twin- rolled down her window. Of course, she had to do it by hand, because their dad just _had_ to piss of their rich grandpa, making them the poorest members of the Sohma family, and even unable to buy a modern car, with automatic windows and airconditioning that didn't smell like ass for the first twenty minutes.

Poverty was only _one_ reason why they were moving to the middle of nowhere. The others being that Kisa was constantly ridiculed in school for having a "freaky family", and that Haru's therapist mentioning that the country might be best for soothing his violent, second personality.

The town was finally coming into view, and it left a great deal to be desired.

Old fashioned buildings lined the dirt road, all the cliche little stores in the cliche little market, and the _tiny_ little schoolyard next door to the _tiny _little Town Square. After only a few minutes, the town ended, and houses dotted the long stretches of farmland.

_'Great,' _Haru told himself. _'I get to walk five miles to get to school.'_

---

The house wasn't much better.

..It freaked the shit out of him.

At least it wasn't as small as their last three houses, or the apartment they wre forced to rent when money became scarce. At least they _owned_ this home, even if it _was_ old and gray, and the paint was beginning to chip.

"Mommy," Kisa mumbled. "This place gives me a cold feeling."

Their mother smiled worridly, patting the young girl on the back. It wasn't like the woman could disagree, shuttering as thoughts of why the house was so cheap passed through her mind, but her children didn't have to know anything about it.

"It's okay, _baby_."

_'SLAM!'_

Everyone jumped, staring in horror as the front door was flung open, ramming itself shut in an almost angry manner. Kisa's large eyes were locked onto the top right window, her mouth hanging open.

"What is it, Kisa?" Hiro asked quickly, straining his eyes to see what his sister saw.

"There's a boy." Her small finger pointed so surely at that window, her eyes so focused it was scary.

But there was no one there.

---

"Thank you." Haru spoke politely, taking the bag from a chubby woman at the counter.

The market wasn't really that bad once you got used to the strong smell of hillbillies and farm animals, and the candy only cost fifty cents. He made his way slowly from the little store, fishing out a packet of gummy worms and handing them to Kisa.

"You know," He began. "I think you just claimed there was some boy in that room because you new it was the smallest, and you didn't want it."

He laughed at his own joke, realizing how lame it was to do so, but trying desperately to cheer the little girl up. She smiled, but kept her eyes locked on the plastic in her pale hands. Paleness ran in the family, and every Sohma burned. badly.

"He made me sad." She spoke up, tears welling up in her eyes. "Seeing him made me want to cry."

The older boy arched an eyebrow, pulse quickening at the thought of such creepy things. It was one thing hearing it from his parents, they were paranormal invstigators afterall, but with Kisa's quiet voice, it sounded like something from a horror movie.

"You know mom and dad are gonna go crazy trying to find that ghost now, right?"

She nodded, glancing up at her older brother with teary eyes.

"I don't want them to find him, Haru." She pleaded. "They'll scare him away."

He snaked an arm around her thin body, pulling her close in a one-armed hug. At least the ghost was nice, he thought to himself, even if he didn't believe one word of it, realizing that maybe his _family_ should be in therapy instead of himself.

"Hey!"

Both pairs of eyes shot up at the voice, Haru having to hold back laughter at the boy's thick country accent. He was short, probably somewhere between he and Kisa's age, shaggy blonde hair falling into bright blue eyes. He was tanned, and every inch of his body -that Haru could see- was covered in freckles.

"Um, hello." The black and white haired boy greeted.

The kid must have never heard of manners, because instead of pausing to say hello, he jumped right into questions. His accent, as thick as it was, made it very hard to understand him.

"Ain' you the folks who jus' moved inta the big gra' house righ' ow-side town?"

Haru blinked, forcing himself to register what he'd just heard.

"..yeah?" He answered unsurely.

The boy gasped, showing off a mouthful of missing teeth. Not from lack of a tooth brush, mind you, the kid was just at that magical age when children lose all of their teeth. It surely fit the entire hick theme of the town, however.

"Yall know it haw-ted, right?"

Haru rolled his eyes. Of _course_ is was. He felt like he was in a living horror movie, that he was _actually_ supposed to believe there was a ghost in the room his parents forced him to stay in. (he hadn't been in that room yet, but he was sure there was nothing in there)

"Really?" He heard Kisa ask, and the kid's focus was switched to her.

"Yeah!" The hick exclaimed. "A few years back, a fam'ly done moved into that house." He paused to glance around nervously, scooting closer to the pair. "Well, it was jus' a boy an' his ma, unil his ma got herself a boyfriend. Mr. Peter Nostrum, was his name, an' everyone in town knew him to be a scoundrel as soon as we saw 'im."

Kisa's hands tightened around the bag of gummyworms, making a small squeaking sound as the plastic rubbed against itself.

"Turns out the ol' man 'ad a lust fer young boys, cause he done snatched her son up soon as she lef' the house." The story was sad, Haru knew, but the kid couldn't expect him to be _scared_.

"He took that poor kid to the basement, tie' him up, n' tortured him 'till his mom came home 'n discovered the body. God knows how they got way with it, but she hated 'er son jus as much as he did, called 'im a bastard child 'n barely let him leave the house. But they got their's."

There was a long silence, until Kisa finally mustered up the courage to ask, "What happened to them?"

"They moved from town after the house started actin' funny, was 'bout then that the body was discovered." He wiped the sweat from his tanned forehead. "Course, they never did make it outa 'ere." His eyes searched the empty streets with genuine fear. "Pa says their car was found 'bout a mile from 'ere. Burnt to a chrisp, both dead. But hell, they say no car crash could do somethin' like that to a person."

Haru's blood ran cold, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end.

_'no car crash could do something like that to a person.'_

**to be continued**

---

Did it freak you out?

I hope so. I stayed awake until four in the morning writing it, and chapter two.

I can really see this going somewhere, but I'm not making any promises about finishing it. (I learned my lesson with _'To Kiss A Kitten'_)

Please, share your thoughts on chapter one with me!


	2. The Flashes Before Your Eyes

I'd like to mention, for a kind anonymous reviewer by the name of Maisy, that I'll try my best to finish this, but it might take a little time!

-----

**Chapter Two**

**"The Flashes Before Your Eyes"**

"Guys, we're home!" The now sweaty and tired boy called.

The door screached open, doorknob loose under his large hands. The house smelled bad, like dust, and the walls were an ugly shade of off-white.

"I'm gonna get a snack, okay?" Kisa's voice called, the girl herself already halfway through the time-faded doors.

Haru grabbed his bags, that he'd left at the door when his parents asked him to take Kisa into town to clear her mind, and headed up the stairs. They creaked beneath his feet, and with each step, he became more and more concerned of his family's whereabouts.

He treked through the long, dark hallway, heart racing.

The floorboards squeaked, and an unfamiliar thumping emitted from _his _bedroom. As he drew closer, the sound grew, until finally, his hand was inches away from doorknob. _'thump, thump, thump'_, he wasn't sure if it was his heart, or the noises from behind the door.

_'thump, thump-'_

"Haru, you're home!"

He turned so quickly, he would have fell over if not for the figure behind him. _'Mom', _his mind sighed in relief, it was only his mother, with her cheery smile, comforting words, and the ability to scare the hell out of him at any given moment.

"Have you looked at the room yet?" She asked, sidestepping her son and opening the old wooden door.

He mumbled a small _'no', _feeling happier than he should have been that the older woman opened the door for him. If he had to have his mom open his bedroom door for him everytime, he'd either die of embarrassment or leave the damn thing open no matter what.

"I hope you're not scared by what Kisa said earlier." She spoke. "You know how little girls are, always making up imaginary friends."

He smiled to himself. This was why he loved his mother. Unlike Mr. Sohma, she didn't gush about spirits every second of every day. She wouldn't dare scare her children with the thoughts that their house was haunted, while her husband would simply state that it _was_, but the ghosts were _most likely_ harmless.

"It slipped my mind." He told her, and she wrapped her arms around him.

"That's my boy." She mumbled into his soft hair, before letting him go and heading for the door. "Now you get busy unpacking, okay?"

He nodded, waiting until the door snappen shut to finally bend over, opening the first of his many packages.

---

Haru felt like he was being watched.

He sat up in his bed for what seemed like the billionth time that night, glancing around the room. Beads of sweat formed at his forehead and on the back of his neck, tremors runnung up and down his spine.

"I need water." He told himself, throwing the covers off of himself.

---

The stupid sink wouldn't work, and it was starting to piss him off. No matter which knob he turned, the water was hot, and he wasn't going to drink anything that scorched his throat. He'd have to remember get someone to fix the sink in the morning, before anyone else was cursed with this problem.

"fuck!" He cursed quietly, ramming the knob into place.

"Didn't your father put water bottles in the fridge?"

He paused, mulling this over.

"Yeah!" He exclaimed, sliding toward the fridge and pulling out a bottle.

The cool water running down his throat was refreshing, and he finished half the bottle before stopping to take a breath.

"Thanks, dude-" He froze, pulse rising again at the realization that he didn't know the voice he was speaking to.

Ever so slowly, he turned, shoulders locked, palms sweaty.

But there was no one there.

"I'm just tired." He told himself, feeling the familiar chill of _someone watching him_ running down his spine.

He made his way slowly up the stairs, never turning to spot the lone figure, blank red eyes following all the way.

---

The birds were singing happily, perched atop the cracked shingles of their roof. Kisa and Hiro were riding their bikes up and down the dirt road, content to finally stretch their legs after such a long car ride.

Haru himself felt the need to get out of the old house, but that may have been because it was slowly drivin him crazy, with its weird thumping, and weirdly helpful spirits. Goosebumps prickled up and down his arms at the thought of the previous night, and he climbed hurridly down the last few stairs.

"Mom, Dad, what are you doing?"

They looked like complete idiots, are Haru wondered if this kind of behavior was what got him the second personality to begin with. His mother wore a large pair of black glasses, puffy dark brown headphones framing her face. She was messing with a small black box on the newly placed livingroom table, a box that Haru guessed cost more than their car, and she bit her lip in concentration.

His father held a small machine he called an _'Air Ion Counter', _that he placed on the table near his wife in favor of two long, thin dowsing rods. A tape recorder, video camera, walkie-talkies, tape recorder, and flash light all lay on the couch.

Of course, they were ghost hunting.

"Never mind." He muttered, taking the few remaining steps to the front door. "You know, Kisa says she thinks you'll scare him away."

The two paused in their work, but didn't speak. They couldn't say anything, lest they miss any important noises their non-existant ghost would make. He rolled his eyes, but wasn't sure if he believed himself. He'd heard _something_ last night.

"I know I'd run if I saw all that equipment coming toward me." and with that last thought, he opened the wooden door, welcoming the warmth of summer as it settled on his tired face.

He trudged forward, but stumbled as his foot was caught under something firm.

_'rope?'_ His mind wondered. "Hey Hiro, did we bring any rope with us when we moved?"

The younger boy stopped riding, eyebrows in a curious knot. He shook his head in a _'no', _fingers gripping the bike handles just a little tighter. Staring at the old rope, Haru realized that it couldn't be from their house. It was so old and dirty, coated with..

_blood._

The door slammed open, Kisa screamed his name, and Haru gripped himself as the icy cold sensation overtook his being once more.

**to be continued**

---

This chapter is for _rabidbutterfly, _because I loved how you mentioned that you wouldn't read this at night. I _wrote_ this at night, so I, being the paranoid person I am, kept having to turn around and look behind me, and I almost died when I saw my reflection in my window.

By the way, a lot of focus is on Haru's trips up and down the stairs, but that holds a great significance later on. I mean, everything in the house does, but some hold more.. memories than others.

Anyway, chapter three is already halfway done, so I'm doing pretty well, aren't I?

And remember, your opinion is _very_ important to me, so don't refrain from sending a review!


	3. The Manifest

**Chapter Three**

**"The Manifest"**

Dinner that night was quiet, Haru moping, pushing his steamed carrots from one side of his plate to the other, and Hiro laughing silently at him. Kisa rarely spoke at all, and when she did, it was seldom around their parents. Mrs. Sohma sent an apologetic look over her glass, while her husband did the same over a rather large spoonful of mashed potatoes.

"Honey, you know your father and I didn't mean to hit you with the door." His mother finally spoke, earning a bout of snickers from her youngest son.

Haru eyed her for a moment. He knew they didn't mean to hit him -ramming an old, splintery door into his butt and knocking him face-first onto the dirty porch- but did they _really_ have to scream at him afterwards?

_'Don't touch that rope!' _His mother had screeched, her husband finishing with an, _'It's important evidence!', _and proving for the second time since they'd moved that Hatsuharu Sohma's parents could scare him shitless at any given moment.

Or rather, at the worst moment possible.

"Did you find any ghosts?" He asked sarcastically, although no one seemed to pick it up in his voice.

The two shook their heads.

"We _did_ however," The older man began. "find some very interesting energy by the stairs and the front door."

His wife nodded, wiping her mouth on a napkin.

"I have to say," She took a drink. "It's the most amazing thing I've ever seen."

---

"Well, it can't get any weirder than this!" Hiro scoffed, staring down at the candles in his hands with a deep, intense hatred.

It was dark, but not too late, about eight or nine at night. Haru, Hiro, and Kisa sat on the very last step, each clutching two or three candles in their hands, and watching boredly as their parents hooked up their ghost hunting equipment.

"Haven't you ever heard of seperating family from work?" The youngest boy asked, earning an elbow in the side from Haru.

It only took a few minutes before their parents stood infront of them, night vision glasses and spirit detecting headphones already plastered on their faces.

"Okay," The eldest woman stated. "We're going to see if we can call this spirit out in the open!"

She spoke in such a cheery way, almost as if they were going on a fun adventure, and not hunting for some dead guy.

"Place the candles in a circle around us, and light them one by one." She slowly checked off the instructions, until each was finished.

Their father held a thick, black book, _'The Manifest' _written on its cover in silver letters.

"Now watch closely," He whispered. "This spirit might show us something, but it _may_ only attach itself to one of us."

He made a point to glance at Kisa, although the small girl didn't catch it.

and then, he bagan to read, his words bringing that cold, fearful feeling up Haru's spine that he was slowly getting used to.

_'CRACK!'_

The windows flew open, a chilling wind flying through the openings. The stairs moaned as if a heavy weight was being placed onto them, and the thumping Haru had heard the day before resumed once more. There was a strong, hard tapping noise emitting from the basement, its door creaking open.

_'No!' _A voice hollered, and the front door swung ajar, then rammed itself shut, like the day before.

Haru's blood ran cold as the stairs groaned louder, violent images swirling before his vision.

Someone was being pulled forcfully down the old stairs, pleading desperately to be left alone. He could almost see it, almost feel the pain of being yanked by his wrist, and dragged across the floor.

Fresh blood dripped down the staircase, seeping from its cracks, and Haru could feel fingers running through his hair, and a voice muttering sickly in his ear,

_'Has anyone ever... fucked you, baby?'_

The door slammed, and a lamp in the other room fell. The wind calmed, windows closing forcefully, as the thumping faded into the darkness.

It was over.

Haru held himself, almost afraid to breathe.

He'd _seen_ it, _felt_ it, and he _didn't_ like it.

He could smell the breath of whoever had spoken to him, could _feel_ their rough fingers in his hair. He felt like something was taken from him, like a piece of his being was stolden by that terrible creature.

"Haru! Haru!" His eyes snapped up, noticing for the first time that cold tears were running down his face.

"Did you see it?" He asked, they must have, it was so strong! "Did you see the boy? Did you see the.. man?"

His mother bit her lip, water building up behind her eyes. She shook her head, taking the boy into her arms.

"Haru.. nothing happened."

---

This was their first night with the internet, and Haru couldn't be happier.

Not only did it give him a chance to get his mind off of the encounter he'd had earlier, but after three days, he would finally get a chance to talk to all of the friends he'd let behind in the city. He logged into myspace, his IM, and a chat room he always seemed to find cool people in.

_'I'm officially "moved in"' _He typed in the chat, realizing that none of his friends would be on the computer at such a late hour.

It was only a moment before he recieved a reply, but he stopped to take a drink from his water bottle before reading.

_'bling' _the computer sang, informing him that another message was posted.

_'bling, bling, bling, bling, bling, bling, bling-'_

He stared in horror at the message as it reposted itself.

_'help me!'_

_'help me!'_

_'help me!'_

_'help me!'_

_'help me!'_

_'help me!'_

_'help me!'_

_'help me!'_

_'help me!'_

_'help me!'_

_'help me!'_

all the way down the page.

He scrolled up and down, but it was all the same. No _'just kidding', _no apology, nothing. He checked the poster's name, nearly falling from his seat as the words registered in his horrified mind.

They were posting under his name.

_'help me!'_

_'help me!'_

_'help me!'_

_'help me!'_

He exited the site, hearing a small beep from his IM.

_'help me!' _it read.

He reached down quickly, unplugging the cord that connected his computer to the wall. The screen went black, and he sighed in relief, his deep breathing filling the silence of his bedroom.

"H-help.. me." A voice called from behind him, and he stared in shock.

Through the reflection of his computer, he could see the silhouette of a person behind him.

"Please!" The figure screeched, drawing closer.

Haru swerved around, grabbing the closest item and shielding himself with it.

He was faced, however, with nothing but an empty room, and a sick feeling in his gut.

_'help me!' _His mind whispered, and he stood from his spot by the computer.

He was sleeping on the couch tonight.

**to be continued**

---

Computers are bad news when you have a ghost in the house. So, if you ever think your house is haunted, turn your computer off as soon as you're finished reading one of my stories. (just kidding, of course, turn the damn thing off as soon as possible!)

I like making doors slam. I'm not sure if you noticed.

The door slamming is important too though.

Please leave reviews!


	4. The Asphyxiation

I didn't realize so many people didn't know that Kyo's already in the story.

ahh, but I guess that's my fault for not being a good enough writer.

--

**Chapter Four**

**"The Asphyxiation"**

_The basement was dark, empty, cold._

_The air smelled of sewage, and the ground was wet. There was a single window in the old cellar, but it was covered with some sort of sheet, and only a small glow of light could make its way through the room._

_Haru stared upward at the ceiling as a doorbell rang throughout the house. The short, even thumps of feet making their way toward the door could be heard, before they ceased, and a creak sounded, as the rusty screws rubbed against eachother and the door was opened._

_"Mom's not home." A teenage boy's voice spoke, and Haru couldn't quite place where he'd heard it before._

_There was a soft moan from the floorboards as the boy shifted from foot to foot._

_"I wasn't looking for your mom." A man's voice cooed, and Haru _knew_ where he'd heard that voice before. _

_He jumped as the door slammed, and the clicking of old locks could be heard along with deep breathing._

_"It's okay, baby!" The man's voice called from outside the house. "I'm not gonna hurt you!"_

_Quick steps away from the door could be heard, and Haru realized just how scared the boy must have been._

_"Dammit, you little fuck!" The man roared, banging violently against the door. "If I have to break in here, I swear I'll kill you!"_

_The stairs moaned as the boy ran up them, and the sound of a window breaking filled the air. There was a lot of screaming, and Haru couldn't pick their words apart. The stairs continued to moan, both male's weight almost seeming like too much for them._

_There was a yelp, and the thump of a body being pulled down the stairs, before the cellar door swung open and light flooded around Haru's form. He shielded his eyes, wondering in terror if the two could see him._

_"Come on, baby, you know you want this." The man, so tall and thick, so ugly. He didn't have a lot of hair, and what he did have was greasy and unkept. One large, hairy hand was clasped around the much smaller boy's wrist, while the other lay over his mouth._

_The teen, so thin and fearful, so gaddamn _pretty_, fought against his captor, biting his hand uselessly and beating against his beerbelly. The boy was released, only to be pushed down the stairs forcefully. He yelped, holding his head protectively as he tumbled town. _

_Haru wanted so badly to save him, but his feet were rooted to the spot._

_The ugly man sauntered down behind him, grabbing him roughly by the hair and pulling him toward a chair in the corner. _

_"This is what you get." He whispered evilly, wrapping his injured victim in a rope he'd found lying at the base of the steps._

_Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a pocketknife, raising it slowly._

_A scream filled the air-_

Haru shot up from his spot on the couch, sweat streaming down his face.

"It's about time you woke up." someone spoke.

By the sarcastic tone of voice, it seemed to be Hiro, and Haru was in no state of mind to figure it out.

"You were tossing and turning all night, and dammit, some people were trying to sleep!"

He wrapping his arms around himself, shivering as memories of the dream replayed themselves in his head. That scream.. it was so fearful, so painful to hear; Haru wanted to cry out, he wanted to slip behind the mask of his _other_ self, but he held it inside. Whoever was with him, no matter how rude they were acting, he didn't want them to be faced with that horrible side of him, that _monster._

"Hey!" The voice exclaimed. "Are you listening to me?"

There was a long pause, and the air became colder around him.

_"Help me."_

He could feel the other person's stare, and he realized, the voice was way too deep to be Hiro's. No, this _was_ familiar, but whoever was speaking didn't belong in his house.

The windows rattled, and the lights flickered on and off, as he turned his head in the direction of his _visitor._

He lay speechless, looking into the sickly face of the boy from his dreams. His skin was pale, contrasting greatly with empty crimson eyes. He was covered in scratches, and dark black and blue bruises. Blood ran freely from his lips and eyes, dripping over his chin to the floor.

"P-please.. Help me."

He reached forward with a mangled hand, no thumb or middle finger, the remaining three having cracked or missing nails.

Fear gripped Haru's heart, eyes wide and breathing hoarse.

"-What the hell is wrong with you?"

The room shifted, and it was daylight. The hand before him became smaller, healthier.

"..What?" He drew out, glimpsing the angry face of his younger brother thankfully.

The boy groaned, yanking his arm away.

"I was saying, It's about time you woke up! You were tossing and turning all night, and dammit, some people were trying to sleep!"

The clinging of pots and pans could be heard in the kitchen, along with the sound of his parents equipment.

"Hiro!" His mother's voice called. "Don't curse!"

The 6th grader scoffed, flipping his older brother the finger before going outside to play.

---

There was a very nice tree about a hundred feet from the house, and Haru found himself sitting in it, looking out over the small town, so peaceful in the hot summer weather.

_'Help me!' _The boy kept asking. _'P-please.. Help me!'_

How?

There had to be something he wanted, something he needed to do before leaving for the other side. His eyes -though so cold and empty- were filled with _fear_. His knarled hands had to be reaching for _something_.

"Just like a horror movie." He snarled.

He wondered what kind of outcome his movie would have. Would he die? Would the spirit turn out to be nothing more than an evil demon, or did he really just need help? If his life was a movie, a book, or just a story, written by some cruel author, would the reader be left with a sad, sick feeling at the very last word?

He shook his head.

He wasn't a character in some stupid novel; he was a living, breathing human being.

"Hatsuharu, dear!" His mother called up the trunk of the tree. "We're going into town for a bit, you wanna come?"

Hiro and Kisa stood at her side, their father already attempting to start the old "crap-mobile", as Haru had come to know it.

"Nah," He spoke slowly, realizing that he would be left alone with the house. "I think I'll just hang out here."

The woman nodded, informing him that leftovers were in the fridge (_'and water bottles', _he added mentally), then told him to be good.

He turned his gaze back over the town, hearing the sound of the old engine start, and the tires slowly driving his family away.

Ghosts didn't appear in the daytime, right?

He turned carefully, glancing back at the old, gray house. The window of his bedroom was clouded, appearing frozen behind the glass. A shadow crawled through the haze, pausing to stare out at Haru, though its eyes were hidden in the darkness.

_'help me!' _He could almost hear it scream.

and he was forced to wonder, would his story have a happy ending?

---

I'm finished with chapter five, so I'll post it whenever you guys are ready.

Your opinion is always appreciated!


	5. The Osculation

**Chapter Five**

**"The Osculation"**

_'CREEEAAAAK!'_

Haru locked his shoulders, closing the deficient door behind him. It was raining outside, and he wondered if the mysterious rain after a week of bright sunlight had anything to do with the house he was currently standing in.

Maybe it wasn't even raining.

The bastard ghost had made it clear that he could do whatever he wanted with Haru's fragile mind.

The young man reached up a shakey hand, running it through his hair. It was times that this that he wished he smoked, since the nicotine was supposed to be calming. Then again, pot seemed to do the same, and his parents hadn't been pleased when they caught their son smoking _that_.

The ringing of a phone pulled him out of his thoughts, and for a moment, he wondered if he should ignore it.

He didn't, however, because at that moment, the need to speak to someone _alive_ was more overwhelming than the realization that the caller might not be.

He pulled the cordless green phone from the table where it sat, pushing the 'talk' button and bringing it to his ear. He could hear his heartbeat drumming in his head, and a lump formed in his throat.

"H-hello?" He drew out.

There was breathing, and the phone went dead.

_'He grabbed the phone from its perch, dialing the three numbers that he hoped would bring an end to the abuse._

_"911, may I ask who's calling?" a woman's voice spoke from the other line._

_He breathed deeply, scarlet eyes filled with fear. _

_"U-um, please h-help me." He studdered. "M-my mother, she won't.. s-stop."_

_He rubbed a hand over the cut on his chin, wincing as his fingers were soaked in blood._

_He could hear his mother looking for him upstairs. The ceiling shook as she stumbled across the hall, a loud thumping resounding as she threw his things throughout the room._

_He froze as the stairs groaned._

_She was coming._

_He turned back to the phone, hoping desperately that the woman hadn't put him on hold._

_But there was nothing, not even a dial tone, and he cursed under his breath._

_"Kyo!" A high-pitched, feminen voice called, causing the hairs on the back of his neck to rise._

_He slammed the phone down, ambling out of the drunken woman's sight just in time._

_"Baby!" He screeched. "Mommy's not gonna hurt you!"'_

Haru awoke in a cold sweat, shaking terribly, and gripping the wall for support.

Had he just passed out?

He stared down at the phone in his hand, chipped from years of he and his siblings fighting over it. His gaze swept over the room. It wouldn't look that bad, if not for the spirit that haunted it. _really._

It wasn't huge, but it wasn't too small. The walls were off-white, except for the flower-print border near the ceiling. The floor was wooden, chipped in some places, and the windows were large and dirty, standing side-by-side and staring out into the front yard.

but one looked newer than the other, as if it had been replaced recently.

As if it had been _broken_.

"..Who _are_ you?"

Haru jumped at the voice, twirling around to see a small boy, much younger than Hiro and Kisa, hiding partially behind the doorway leading into the dining room. His face was completely covered, except for one big, red eye that peeked out.

He looked like a little orange puffball, with all that hair.

"I'm Haru." He eventually choked out. "W-who are you?"

The little boy was silent, hands clinging tightly to the chipping doorframe.

"Why.." He began, shaking slightly. "Why are you in our house?"

Haru stepped slowly toward the child, crouching down inches from his tiny figure. He reached out, gripping the oversized t-shirt he was wearing, feeling the material run between his fingers.

"I live here." He whispered.

That single red eyes was filled with fear, and the child pulled away from his grip. He stepped back into the shadows, uncovering his face to bare a large bruise painting his left cheek.

"Liar!" He screamed, his voice sounding twisted and demonic, causing Haru to pull back.

His skin began to darken, spider veins appearing under a sickly pale complexion. His eyes were covered with a milky veil, and his hair grew out, becoming dry and dead. His mouth hung open, blood pouring over his small teeth, and from his ivory eyes.

Through the darkness, long, shadowy arms began to grasp his little limbs, and he thrashed wildly, begging to be released. Haru stared in horror as they pulled him back, crimson liquid spraying from every place they touched him.

"Please!" The child screeched.

and the room was silent once more.

Haru stood apathetically, and left the room without a second glance. He walked up the stairs, uncaring of its whispers and groans. Once at the top, he strolled to his room at the end of the hallway, ignoring the loud thumping that warned him to stay away.

He opened the door quickly, slamming it against the wall, but not closing it afterwards.

Stepping to the very center of his bedroom, his eyes filled with anger, he threw his arms in the air, calling out to the spirit that had terrorized him for almost a week.

"What do you want from me?!" He hollered. "What the _fuck_ could you _possibly_ want?!"

He heard the basement door slam, and the stairs creak as the phantom followed the sound of his screaming. He stared into the hallway, watching as pictures flew off the walls, and willing himself to stay strong.

And finally, the door slammed shut, and he waited for the demon to make his appearance.

"What?" He muttered, letting his arms hang by his sides.

For a moment, he wondered if the creature was gone, and glanced around the room.

It was completely empty, so silent it was terrifying. He almost gave up, almost left the room, almost went downstairs to await his family's return.

_almost._

He would have, if not for the cold feeling that soon ran up his spine, and the force that pushed him up against the wall. Before he could scream, yell, or even open his eyes, a pair of freezing lips attached themselves to his own, rough hands holding him into place.

"I.." The nervous voice stumbled. "I want.. _you_."

When he finally gathered the strength to look, the spirit was gone, leaving nothing behind but a pile of broken pictures in the hall,

and a boy in his bedroom, wanting more.

**to be continued**

---

ahahaha, poor Haru.

Not _only_ was he hit on by a ghost, but he _liked_ it.

Kyo wasn't really attracted to him before, though. Not until that _one _moment when Haru showed that he was tired of being afraid, did the ghost realize that he had an intense need to get into his pants.

By the way, osculation is just a very creepy sounding word for kissing.

reviews are always appreciated!


	6. The Benevolence

because chronic masturbation can be scary too.

---

**Chapter Six**

**"The Benevolence"**

To say that the Mr. and Mrs. Sohma were surprised would be an understatement.

They could _feel_ _it_ as they neared the house, rain beating down on windows. They could _sense_ that something wasn't right.

When they stepped through the door, however, everything looked completely fine, minus a few broken frames in the upstairs hallway. Haru was no where to be seen, but the light in his bedroom was on, and the muffled sounds of his CD player could be heard through the walls.

Not until they entered their son's bedroom did the shock set in.

The hinges squeaked as the door swung open, reminding Mr. Sohma that the house still needed a lot of work. The computer was on, although the cord was clearly unplugged, lying coiled on the floor next to Haru's desk. The radio sang a soft, eerie tune, skipping ever so often to replay a line.

_'he will take you if you run, _

_if you run, he will chase you._

_he will take you. if you run,_

_he will chase you..'_

The lights flickered, rain beating violently against the roof. Lightning flashed, and for a moment, they swore there was a figure watching them from the window. The radio skipped, but continued to play, and the computer beeped restlessly, random curses typing themselves over and over again on its screen.

_'he will chase you.._

_'cause he is the lord.'_

The door slammed behind them, and though there was no lock, it wouldn't open. Thunder crashed somewhere in the distance, and the lights went out, their son's computer glowing through the darkness.

"Haru!" His mother yelled, banging on the door. "Help us!" She screeched, but it was lost in a bellow of thunder.

_'we didn't sleep too late,_

_there was a fire in the yard,_

_all of the trees were in light,_

_they had no faces to show.'_

"H-help.. you?" A voice whispered, studdering as the wind continued to roar.

Before they knew it, they were sprawled out on the hallway floor, Haru's old door swinging open ahead of them. The lights shined brightly in the teen's bedroom, computer off, sterio completely silent.

Mrs. Sohma let out a slow breath, allowing her husband to help her off the floor. They closed the door, flipping of the light switch, and stumbled down the stairs.

In the darkness of their son's room, lightning illuminated the walls, shining on his mute radio.

'welcome', the letters flashed, and there was static.

_'h-he will t-take you..'_

But as the lightning shown once more, it was quiet.

---

"Do you want chunky peanut butter, or creamy?" Haru asked, holding the two containers in the air for his siblings to see.

Kisa drummed her fingers on the table, while Hiro burst out laughing.

"Why do the names have to be so.. ew?"

His older brother raised an eyebrow, wonder how anything could be "ew", but pushing the thought aside. He huffed, setting the peanut butter on the counter and bringing his hands to his hips.

"Fine." He spoke impatiently. "Do you want the kind with peanuts in it, or the kind without?"

His little sister pursed her lips, seeming to put an awful lot of thought into it, before grinning and voicing her answer.

"The kind without!" She spoke cheerfully, and of course Hiro agreed.

He always went with whatever his sister said, beside those rare occasions when he didn't like her choice, or wasn't by her side.

Haru smiled, smoothing the peanut butter onto the sandwiches, and handing them their plates.

"Wow Kisa, you seem really happy lately." He noticed. "Make any new friends?"

The little girl nodded nervously, though the grin remained on her face, and took a bite from her lunch. Hiro's head shot in her direction, eyes flashing with a possessiveness that only a brother could have.

"Who?" He asked quickly, ignoring the sound of their parents coming down the stairs.

"His name is-" Kisa began, but was cut off by their father's raspy voice.

"Haru, would you mind sleeping on the couch again tonight?"

The teen chuckled inwardly, sucking on his sticky, jelly coated fingers.

"Were you in my room?" He asked.

Both his mom and dad looked flustered at this, spitting out excuses such as, "We were looking for _you_!" and "That music was _way_ too loud!", before realizing that their son wasn't angry, and composing themselves.

"I don't mind the creepy stuff." He affirmed, taking his fingers from his mouth. "I'm used to it."

His lips tingled at the thought of the last encounter he'd had with the spirit. It wasn't his first kiss, he'd had many girlfriends before moving to the country, and it wasn't the first time he'd locked lips with a boy, since Hatsuharu Sohma wasn't afraid of looking gay, but something about that kiss, besides the fear and the anger, and the knowledge that _'this boy is dead!'_.Somehow, it was special.

He _liked_ it, and he wanted more.

"Just to be safe." His mother spoke. "You know, until we can investigate a little, okay?"

He nodded, not really paying attention, but realizing that he was stuck on the stiff couch for another few days.

---

It was midnight before Haru felt it safe to turn on his flashlight, and pull the magazine he'd been hiding for over an hour out from under his pillow. The name really didn't matter to him, just the pictures it held inside, and the fact that he'd managed to sneak it downstairs without getting caught.

Plastered on the cover was a tanned woman, most likely in her early twenties, wearing a skimpy black two piece, smiling seductively at him. Inside were pictures of other twenty-year old women, just as beautiful, but wearing less and less as the pages went on.

He paused, almost stashing his prized posession back under the pillow as a soft tapping sounded from upstairs.

_'It's an old house.' _He told himself. _'Don't blame it on the ghost every time something creepy happens.'_

Glancing back down at the spread-eagle woman in the pages of his magazine, his nerves slowly calmed.

He stared at the picture for a moment, a certain part of his anatomy begging to be touched, until he turned the page and the urge only grew stronger. He told himself that this _wasn't_ wrong. It was _his_ house, and porno was just the thing he needed to get his mind off of haunted houses and moving miles away from his friends.

The soft tapping continued, but he ignored it.

By the time the noise became alarmingly loud, he was too busy to care, and he was ignorant of the eyes that watched him as he preformed such a personal act upon himself.

Of course, it felt good, and he bit his lip to stop the moan that bubbled in the back of his throat.

Only when he felt the all-too-familiar feeling creeping up his spine did he open his eyes, almost jumping out of his skin as he spotted the figure gleaming only a few feet away, standing awkwardly in the doorway, absent of his usual ghoulish demeanor.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" Haru found himself whispering, terribly abashed.

That was all it took for the figure to disappear, but not before slamming a few doors for a good measure.

The sweaty, flushed boy groaned as the upstairs light was turned on, slipping his magazine under the covers as his family made their way down the stairs. He still felt hot and bothered, wondering why spotting the spirit that had _terrorized_ him for the passed week hadn't taken the feeling away, but pushing the thought to the back of his mind.

"Haru-" his mother began.

"I'm fine, mom." He droned. "You know how this house is. Doors are always slamming."

His tired parents simply nodded, believing their son in hopes of getting a decent night's rest.

When the lights turned off, Haru wondered if taking one last glimpse at the magazine -just to get himself off- would be such a good idea, but decided against it. This didn't mean, however, that his hands didn't wander.

He simply found himself thinking of something else, instead of swimsuit clad pornstars.

Haru wondered vaguely, before slipping into sleep's welcoming arms, if he was a Necrophiliac.

**to be continued**

--

you'll find this becoming more and more humorous as the chapters go on.

I'm not saying it's going to end as a humor story, but I can't quite work the romance in there without a _little_ humor.

Anyway, Kyo watching Haru as he spanked the monkey is a very Kyo-like thing to do.

At least, that's what I think.

Reviews are always appreciated!


	7. The Obscurity

The song in chapter six was "Seven Swans" by Sufjan Stevens by the way.

---

**Chapter Seven**

**"The Obscurity"**

_'you remind me-'_

Haru's stirred, grunting softly in his sleep. Hands fisted in the blankets so tightly they might rip, tears glinting in the corners of his eyes, he thrashed around on the small couch, pictures flashing behind his eyes.

_'Beautiful tanned skin, and a smile he would die for. His voice was deep, but held a feminen tone that echoed in Haru's ears. Long, thin, gentle hands ran over his pale body, those soft, plump lips kissing a trail up his neck, until deep crimson eyes were level with his own chocolate brown._

_"You remind me," he whispered, pausing to peck Haru on the lips. "You remind me of something beautiful."'_

His face met the pillow, and he was calmed for only a moment, before the restless movement began once more, and the images in his dreams became too graphics for his mind to grasp.

_'Those hands, so soft and pretty, they were rotting to the core, and though the face remained beautiful, the skin took its usual deathly gray._

_"P-please.." Those plump lips begged, taking a dark ashen hue. "Help me!"_

_Haru clutched his hand hopelessly, crying as the boy's thin fingers broke off at his touch._

_The elegant being before him, his lovely dream, was falling apart._

_"Please!" The boy's voice called, slowly becoming raspy and cracked. _

His eyelids twitched as his body tried to wake. Sweat rolled down his face, running into fresh tears. His hands still held the covers in a death grip, his legs getting tangled, but kicking forcefully at the air.

_'..please'_

Thick lashes spread, to uncover fearful brown eyes, staring blankly into the dark livingroom.

_'p-please.. love me.'_

His hair was sticking up in all directions, face wet with sweat and tears. He idly wondered if he'd lost any weight, seeing as he'd been sweating so much lately. The loud thumping that usually accompanied the spirit was absent, but Haru couldn't brush the feeling that he was being watched.

"Um, hello?" He called.

Dammit, what was that boy's name again?

He rapped himself on the head, cursing himself inwardly for being so stupid. He'd heard it _so_ many times before! How could he be so stupid as to forget his name?! His eyes scanned the room, knowing that the spirit wouldn't come unless he addressed him by name, he screamed at him as he had earlier.

It started with a_ k_, he knew that much, and it was short, but invoked such a strong feeling within him, that he felt like he would burst.

"K-Kyo!" He exclaimed, mentally patting himself on the back. "Kyo?"

The room was deathly quiet, not even the sound of the wind, or the creaking of the stairs.

"Kyo, please." He whispered, hoping not to wake his family. "I want to help you!"

The sudden snap of a window crashing open alarmed him, rain pouring into the room. In a flash of lightening, he could see the outline of the boy he was looking for approaching him, his thin figure crouching down to Haru's eye level.

"How do you -the one who can't even remember my _name_, who _dares _do such **disgusting** things to himself in my house, who **screams** at me, and cusses! How do you expect to help _me_?!" Those pale eyes were glaring down at him, his anger causing blood to fling in all directions.

Haru was speechless, to say the least, and could only stare as the specter ranted.

"I should rip you to pieces, set your _precious_ smut on fire and burn you with it!" There was a jealousy in his eyes, a painful bitterness that the milky veil couldn't cover.

A dark liquid ran freely from his eyes, thick and murky. It fell from his chin, spashing carelessly onto floor below. His teeth were pearly white in the darkness, many missing on the left side of his face, where a long, slender scar ran from his eye, over his lip, and under the collar of his gnarled shirt.

"Stupid human, are you-"

Haru silenced the boy in the only way he could, grasping his hand and pulling him into their second kiss. He held back a gasp as he felt the dead boy's freezing lips crash against his own, and kept his composure as he realized that kissing a ghost may just make him a Necrophiliac.

"I'm not perfect." He mumbled into the other boy's mouth. "But I'm pretty sure I'm in love with you."

He was pushed violently into the back of the couch, as Kyo's eyes searched his for any detection of a lie. He found nothing, earning himself a small smile from the teen below him.

"I'm dead." The orange headed boy whispered in disbelief.

"I don't care." Was the muttered reply, before Haru stood to look him in the eyes.

He took one cold, clammy hand into his own, realizing for only a moment that the old ghost myths weren't true, for he was touching a spirit of the dearly departed, and his hand wasn't slipping through.

"How may I serve you?" He ducked his head in a mock bow.

He fell forward suddenly, barely able to catch himself before he hit the floor. The orange haired ghost was gone, and he couldn't understand _why_. He spun around the room desperately, trying to find the source of Kyo's departure.

Was he gone.. forever?

"Haru, what are you doing awake this late?" A deep voice scolded.

His father stood in the doorway, clothed in only his bathrobe and a pair of boxers, clutching a glass off water in his hairy hands. The man jumped as a loud thumping resounded from the ceiling, muttering something about _'being dead doesn't give you an excuse for being rude'._

"Uh," Haru drew out tiredly. "The.. noise woke me up."

His father nodded, bidding him a good night, and dragging himself back up to bed. Haru flinched as the window slammed itself shut, wrapping his warm blanket around his shivering figure.

"You know," He mumbled sleepily. "for a vengeful spirit, you sure are shy."

He yawned, not really caring as a shiver ran up his spine, and the feeling of being watched overtook him for what seemed like the billionth time since he'd moved in. His eyes closed, and his breaths became even.

Faded crimson eyes watched over him until morning, wishing more than anything that he could fall asleep in those warm arms.

**to be continued**

---

I might change the genre to horror/romance, which I've never done, but won't mind doing if my reviewers decide this is too mushy to be horror/supernatural.

Also, in _Oreo-Chan's _chapter six review, I recieved possibly the most amusing summary of the chapter:

_"Anyway, Haru jerking off and catching a ghost-Kyo watching him seemed so in-character it was scary. Haru's parents getting scared by the ghost was creepy, and Hiro shouldn't be thinking pervy things about the peanut butter."_

So if you missed anything, you don't have to bother going back and reading it again.

Reviews are always appreciated!


	8. The Memory

I've started every chapter title with 'the', so I guess it's a little late to break the habit.

Updates will be a bit slower during weekends, by the way.

---

**Chapter Eight**

**"The Memory"**

The house was white back then.

I can remember it clearly.

The country, my mother had told me once -during a rare occasion when she gave advice I could actually _use_- was the place you should move if you're tired of annoying neighbors, screeching car alarms, and the fear of getting mugged everyday after getting off work. She said you moved to the country when you wanted to "get away from it all", to simply escape your problems instead of facing them.

I wondered if that's where my father went, after he walked out on my mother when I was only six years old.

Mother was an alcoholic, but I didn't blame her for it. She said she drank to calm her jittery nerves, but when she was drunk she wasn't the same, so loud and violent compared to her usual calm, passive exterior.

When we left our apartment in the city, she told me, "Kyo, things are going to get better."

They didn't.

I was bullied at school for my unusual appearance, constantly getting into fights. At home, Mom's drinking problem became worse and worse, and before I knew it, I couldn't tell my school bruises apart from my home bruises.

Peter Nostrum was a slimy bastard, who my mother met at the town's only bar.

His hair was never clean, and his breath smelled like dirt. His arms were long and thick, wirey black hairs sprouting out in all directions. _I_ thought he was pig-faced, but Mom thought he was God's gift to women.

I could barely look him in the face without my eyes wandering to his massive unibrow.

He was overweight, always wearing thick shirts in an attempt to cover the bulk. I wondered why he didn't shave his body hair -the forest of fur covering his arms, legs, back, chest, and everywhere else- and stick it on his balding head, but I never mentioned it, in fear of upsetting my mother.

She _loved_ him.

I just couldn't understand _why_.

Peter Nostrum molested me for the very first time when I was fourteen.

It was about a week passed thier two year anniversary, but they were celebrating late due to a buisness trip Mom was forced to attend. Peter didn't have a job, and I wondered if this was the reason why they hadn't married yet.

I was icing the cake, while the lazy son of a bitch watched me from the kitchen table. Mom was out buying wine, and wouldn't be back for another hour or so. The thought that maybe, by some cruel fate, she had told her pervert boyfriend that I'd recently "came out" hadn't even crossed my mind.

I guess, against my better judgement, I still trusted her.

After placing the finshing touches on the vanilla coated cake, I slipped the tray into the refrigerater, sucking on the spoon I used to mix the icing. I washed my hands and cleaned the mess I'd made. It was awhile before I noticed the strange way he was staring at me.

He stood slowly, the floor creaking in relief as his weight was lifted.

I just watched him, wondering what the hell he was planning to do as he approached me, not daring to move an inch. He pinned me up against the fridge, taking the handle of the silver spoon in his hand.

"You're mother was right," He whispered huskily. "You really don't look anything like her."

I pondered this, not quite sure what to think. Was he calling me ugly? Was he poking fun at my bright orange hair and red eyes? So deep in thought, I didn't notice as he tugged the spoon halfway from my lips, pushing it back in at a much slower pace.

"You're a lot prettier than her." He purred.

He didn't kiss me, I remember. He simply slipped one large, pudgy hand under the leg of my shorts, making me wriggle away in fear, but the other hand clenched my arm, leaving yet another dark bruise for me to explain to my teachers.

He eventually tired of feeling without actually _seeing_, and pulled the shorts down by the waistband. I didn't understand why it was happening. I couldn't grasp how a man that had dated my mother for _two years_ could be doing such things, running his fingers -and tounge- over body parts of mine that even_ I _was embarrassed to touch.

I spent the rest of the day in the bathroom, vomiting repeatedly and rubbing myself with a wet washcloth until my skin peeled.

Only a few days later, the house started acting strange.

Things would go missing for days, turning up completely destroyed. Everytime I found myself thinking of that terrible day, the lights would flicker, and I could hear the windows shaking, almost _hoping_ that I'd become angry enough to let them burst open.

For a long time I thought the house was haunted, but I realized that I'd lived there since I as eight years old, and if there _were_ any ghosts, they would have shown their faces before _now_. I figured out sometime later, after mulling over the odd occurrences in my head, that there were no spirits.

The house was simply on my side.

When my mother's alcoholism became too much to bear, and her monster boyfriend's sexual abuse started happening on a weekly basis, I found the other forces around me slowly bending to my every command.

I couldn't _make_ them do anything, but whenever I was angry or upset, the windows would shake, and the floor would moan loudly. Peter came over less and less, complaining that creepy things were going on, and he wasn't going to get "murdered by no ghost".

I thought things were getting better, and I prayed they'd stay that way.

I was seventeen years old, two months away from celebrating my eighteenth birthday, when I heard that loud knock on the door. I could tell by the heavy, impatient way he knocked who it was, but I wondered what brought him back after six months of staying away.

Surely he knew Mom was at the bar.

Of course he did, he was looking for _me_ afterall. He broke a window to get in, catching me at the top of the stairs, and dragging me into the cellar. He found some old rope we'd used years ago for a tire swing, tying me to the chair that always wobbled.

The windows shook, the ceiling creeked, and my mother's boyfriend had his way with me, stealing the last of my innocence like it was nothing, and slitting my throat when he was finished.

There isn't a word for how I felt when I awoke.

Considering everything I'd went through, I didn't _feel_ like being alive anymore, but the house moaned and groaned, thunder crashing in the sky. The forces in its walls seemed angry, enraged by the way that monster had treated me.

I never killed anyone.

I remember watching as a dark shadow followed my mother's car, wondering what doom she was going to face, but thankful that her drunken voice would no longer fill the house's walls. They told me later that I had nothing to worry about, that 'those people' would never hurt anyone ever again.

Watching the police pull my body from the basement was the hardest thing I've ever done.

The walls were restless while the authorities took pictures, whining loudly that all the people made them on edge. I couldn't bring myself to listen, simply focusing on my corpse, so bloodly and disfigured.

My dark red eyes were milky white, staring vacantly out into nowhere. There was so much blood; leaking from the corners my eyes, and the slash on my throat, _dripping_ from my open mouth. My hands were dismembered, dirty fingers lying uselessly on the floor around my carcass. My filthy pants hung from my ankles, and I felt a sting of shame, aware of all the people observing my naked body.

My skin was gray, mud coating my bright orange hair.

and I didn't look so beautiful anymore.

**to be continued**

--

The house is kind of.. alive-ish.

Like there are some sort of forces that are neither good or evil dwelling in its walls.

If you were wondering, they're the ones that create all the _"illusions"._

Reviews are always appreciated!


	9. The Affliction

I saw Stephen King's '_1408'_ over the weekend, and I have to say, it's very good inspiration. (he even made the computer a little haunted)

---

**Chapter Nine**

**"The Affliction"**

"A house warming party?" Haru cocked an eyebrow at the woman sitting in front of him. "You're bringing people _here_?"

His mother nodded, rapping her fingers against the counter surface.

"Are you _crazy_?"

She gave him a pointed stare, earning a disbelieving look from the black and white haired boy. She couldn't have been serious though, could she? It was _insain_, inviting so many people to a house that _she _didn't even want to live in.

He groaned, realizing slowly that the woman wasn't going to come to her senses.

"When is it?" He drew out moments later.

When she spoke the words, "tomorrow afternoon", Haru was sure she'd lost her mind.

---

"It isn't _that_ bad for being so.. _old_." An elderly, chubby woman -also known to Haru as "Grandma"- stated in her usual 'Anyone with less money than me is poor' tone of voice, wagging a fat finger at the cracked walls.

"The house is probably as old and dry as she is." Hiro whispered, and Haru had to bite his lip to refrain from laughing.

Luckily, the overweight woman didn't notice, eyeing the house with total distain.

"Hatsuharu, dear, where may I find the lady's room?" She asked suddenly, grasping the tall boy by the sleeve of his black t-shirt.

He gave her directions, offering to show her the way but getting rudely brushed off, and watched in amusement as she waddled up the stairs. She huffed, complaining about "old houses and inconvenient stairs" as she reached the top, and disappeared around the corner.

"Hiro!" A woman's voice called lovingly, and the eleven year old cringed outwardly.

"Oh, Hiro, you know you love her." Haru joked, as their thin aunt ran toward his younger brother, wrapping her arms around him in a tight bear hug.

The brunette simply flipped him off behind the woman's back, sneering as she squeezed him just a little tighter.

"If it isn't Hatsuharu!" A man's voice boasted, and Haru turned to face his two favorite cousins.

Standing in the doorway were two tall, thin men. The tallest of the two wore a plain blue t-shirt, not-too-baggy-but-not-too-tight jeans, and a pair of worn flipflops. Unruly black hair curled unevenly beneath his ears, messy bangs falling above dark, friendly eyes.

The other, shorter by only an inch or two, balanced himself on a closed umbrella -even though it was raining outside. Long, silver locks ran down his back, and thick rivers, slightly covering his golden irises. He wore a bright red suit, laced with golden fabric around the sides, and shiny black shoes.

"Ayame, Shigure!" Haru greeted.

The two men slapped him on the back, messing up his hair and laughing as he squirmed from their grip. He punched the black haired man in the arm gently.

"You three act like children."

He now found himself staring into the icy eyes of his cousin Yuki, as the boy held the hand of a pretty young girl in the doorway. She didn't smile, but nodded shyly in a small 'hello', a faint pink blush making its way to her cheeks.

"Yuki!" Ayame cheered, and ran to hug the younger boy.

After being forcefully shoved away, _twice_, he calmed down.

"I'm your brother, idiot, you see me almost every day."

Haru laughed at their antics, pausing momentarily as a painfully loud creak sounded from upstairs. He passed it off as his obese grandmother leaving the bathroom, or stumbling on her way down the hall, and resumed laughing with the others.

"So Yuki," He began. "Who's your lady friend?"

He made a point to wag his eyebrows at the word 'lady', sending the girl a jokingly seductive glance. The older boy only frowned, tightening his grip on the girl's hand, stepping just a little closer to her.

"This is Machi." He stated, smiling bashfully. "my _fiance_."

Haru choked, eyes wide.

Sure, Yuki was twenty-one, and attending one of the best colleges in the country, but a _fiance_? He'd always considered Yuki to be a little gay, and expected the boy to come out of the closet any day, and this girl was so _pretty_ that he couldn't imagine the boy dating her just to cover up any hidden homosexuality.

"Oh, wow." He finally drew out. "Congrats."

A sudden bang caused the group to jump, and Haru assured the guests that the house was always making weird noises. He excused himself from the conversation, making his way up the stairs after the noise.

It was only Kyo, anyway, right?

---

"Hey!" He called down the dark hall.

There was no answer, only a soft tapping emitting from the bathroom. The light shined from under the door -which was partially open- and the noise grew louder and louder at his approach.

"Kyo?" He asked feebly, inching closer to the sound.

He froze as the tapping turned into sobbing, and the light under the door was blocked by someone's shadow. Goosebumps formed on his arms, but the usual spine tingling sensation he felt when Kyo was around didn't come.

"Hello?" He pushed open the door, peering in at a hunched figure.

Black liquid was pooled around their feet, drenching their clothing. Stiff shoulders shook, and muddy orange hair stuck out in all directions. The crying continued, and the person didn't seem to notice as he steeped toward them. Not until his hand was inches from their stained clothing was there any movement at all.

They swirved around, the hollow holes where eyes should have been leaking a thick tar-looking substance. Open cuts ran through his skin, oozing the coal colored liquid from their pores. Broken stitches poked from dry, open lips, red and infected, bloody and torn.

"Burn!" He screamed, the sound hurting Haru's ears.

and suddenly the black became flames, devouring the eyeless boy, as he screeched and hollered, clawing at his face, ripping large gashes in the skin. Haru backed away as he reached toward him, fingers falling to the ground as skin burned from bone.

A large puddle of black was left behind, sizzling as it ate through the floor.

Haru forced himself from the room, as echoes of _'burn in hell!'_ filled the room behind him. The door slammed shut, darkness dripping through the cracks onto the wooden floor of the hall, and he found himself sprinting down the stairs.

Whatever that was, it sure as hell wasn't Kyo.

**to be continued**

--

Sorry for the few days without updating!

I took Sunday off (because I'm a lazy oaf), and the next two days were spent cleaning the house, and preparing for an upcomming yardsale.

I've already written the ending, while it was fresh in my mind, so I just have to fill in the chapters leading up to it.

Yesterday, my sister found her _Fruits Basket_ boxset (which is such a coincident, it's scary), so we watched a few episodes before going outside to swim. I believe we watched the episide where Tohru gets sick from worrying too much, and Kyo makes soup, while Momiji fills in for her at work.

We were watching it, and all of the sudden, she's like, "Does _no one_ in their family realize how gay Momiji is?"

haha.

Anyway, reviews are always appreciated!


	10. The Malignant Spirit

**Chapter Ten**

**"The Malignant Spirit"**

Haru let out a sigh of relief, watching mirthfully as the party-goers talked amongst themselves. He rubbed his palms together nervously, hoping against all hope that the remainder of the day was uneventful.

When he thought about it, the orange hair of whatever-the-hell-was-in-the-bathroom was way too familiar for his liking, and though he wanted to believe Kyo was done scary him now that they'd kissed -twice- he wasn't quite sure.

"Haru?" A timid voice asked, causing the teen to flinch inwardly.

Kisa stared up at him with big golden eyes, a small knot forming in her brow. Her little hands were clenched tightly around the fabric of her dress, a small blush coloring her cheeks. Haru smiled down at his sister, letting out a short _'hm?' _in question.

"Um.." She trailed off, seeming to be battling with herself over one thing or another. "K-kyo wanted me to tell you that we're out of ice. He said he would have told you in person, but people might start to wonder if they saw a seventeen year old boy talking to himself."

Haru raised an eyebrow, wondering vaguely how the spirit knew his age.

"And he didn't care about asking you?" He questioned, running a hand through his hair. (a bad habit he'd picked up years ago)

The pre-teen shook her head quickly.

"I was in the dining room getting plates for mom." She spoke matter-of-factly. "No one was there."

He nodded, thanking her for helping him, and heading toward the freezer for ice. He would have asked why the orange haired boy hadn't just told _her_ to do it, but soon realized -remembering the giant bag that lay behind the refrigerator doors- that it would have been way to much for the little girl.

"Oh, and Haru?" Kisa called behind him.

"Yeah?" He asked, turning partially to glance at the small girl.

The pink on her cheeks turned slightly darker, and she clasped her hands behind her back.

"Are you and Kyo.." Her small voice faded for a moment, and she stared at her shuffling feet. "..Going out?"

Haru was sure he was darker than his sister by now, and for once, he felt flustered. He stumbled for words, wondering exactly _what_ they were. The necrophiliac within him prayed that they _were_ an item -because really, they'd kissed _twice_ now- and wondered if the dead boy would be angry if he answered _yes_, they were indeed going out.

He opted for telling the truth.

"I'd like to believe that we are." His voice sounded confident enough. "But you'll have to ask Kyo."

Kisa giggled, bringing a tiny hand to cover her mouth. He sent her a look, one of those stern, but still friendly looks that clearly told the girl to explain why the hell what he said was making her laugh.

"When I asked him, Kyo said the same thing. Only in a more _'Kyo-ish'_ way." She giggled.

He didn't laugh, or blush, but simply nodded and began the short trek toward the fridge, giving himself a mental pat on the back.

_'You've done good, Haru.' _He told himself. _'You strange, dead loving son of a bitch.'_

---

"Oh, thank the lord!" Ayame gasped, raising his wine glass to the seventeen year old, as he shuffled toward the refreshment table clutching an oversized bag of ice cubes in his frozen arms.

"My drink was becoming oh-so hot!" He laughed loudly, causing a few of their snobbier relatives (which was a good twenty people) to turn their noses up in disgust.

Haru smirked, dumping the bag into a big red cooler that sat on the ground under the table. He rubbed his hands over the coldest part of his arms, watching in amusment as his older, silver haired cousin dug around for what he called _'The Perfect Ice Cube, for the glory that is Ayame Sohma's alcoholic beverage.'_

"Are your relatives always this.. strange?" Haru jumped at the sound of the voice, turning swiftly to gaze into the crimson eyes of his love interest.

He nodded, not really caring if his stuck up family saw him staring at nothing, but still not wanting to embarrass his mother by talking to himself. Really, she already had to deal with so much, being what his father's family called, "The poor woman that soiled the good Sohma name", and hearing all the terrible things they had to say when word got out that her eldest son had mental problems.

"I think a woman saw me earlier, after Kisa left the dining room." Kyo spoke, voice completely serious. "I was just about to disappear again, and I heard her gasp."

He paused briefly, glancing around at the many old rich pricks that littered Haru's backyard.

"No offense, but thin really didn't look good on her."

Haru chuckled, but said nothing else, begging that the ghost understood his reasons for not talking. He should, since he sent Kisa to fetch him earlier, and only spoke to the girl when he was sure no one was around.

"I just wanted to say that, so you won't be surprised when she runs out screaming." He added, slowly beginning to fade into the warm summer air. "Try not to look _too_ crazy, okay?"

Haru found himself grinning as the boy left his sight, but his happiness was short-lived.

A scream filled the air, and his eyes turned to the woman, face horrified, twitching hand pointing fearfully at the rooftop. Her gloss painted lips were wide open, and her mascara colored lashes almost touched her brow.

Atop the house stood a large figure, and looking closer, Haru could see the familiar face of his grandmother, black blood pouring from hollowed out eye sockets. Her hands hung by her sides, fat legs shaking as her weight was shifted from one to the other.

"Burn in Hell, you fat fucking bitch!" Her voice was twisted and Haru cringed, remembering the encounter he had only awhile ago.

There was another screech, as her large body fell from the two story building, landing with a crash on the ground below. From where he stood, only feet away, he could see the maggots crawling from the holes in her eyes. The flaps of skin that once hung from her arms and legs were ripped away, blood coated bone poking through the torn flesh.

Haru inched forward, the only family member brave enough to get anywhere near the dead woman. Her lip was busted open, and many of her once perfect teeth were chipped or missing. The tips of fat fingers -the small section after the knuckle- had been chopped off, and blood was soaking the knee area of her once pure white shorts.

"It's what you fucking get, you greedy piece of shit!"

The corpse sprung forward, grasping Haru's arm with the oozing stubbs of her hand. She choked, blood splattering across his face, as her grip tightened painfully. He jerked away, watching in horror as the demon inside her spit the curses she would never speak in life.

"Help me!" She hollered, and crashed to the ground, insects beginning to eat the flesh of her face.

Haru fell back, staring down at the body.

As the ambulance came, and his mother drug him away, he was silent. Even when the police questioned him, and the traumatized cries of his family reached his ears, he couldn't speak a word. Only when the clock read twelve-o-clock, when a certain orange haired boy appeard, did he fall into his arms, and cry the tears he'd longed to shred for hours.

In the safety of his lover's arms, in the complete darkness of the night, Haru let himself feel the fear he'd held back since the day he'd set eyes on the large, gray house in the country.

**To Be Continued**

--

Now that I'm a high schooler, I finally get to call Kisa a little girl. It feels very good.

This started out good, but just got creepier and creepier, until there was no turning back. At least a little fluff came out of it though, right?

By the way, this week has been, and will continue to be, a very slow updating week. Yardsales are a bitch.

Reviews are always appreciated!


	11. The Bereavement

aahh, like I've said on my profile, there will be little to no updates until my parents' divorce is finalized. I apologize for the inconvience, but it's hard to write with all this goddamn screaming. (stupid people should really take it outside)

---

**Chapter Eleven**

**"The Bereavement"**

Blood.

Dark, red, so slick and sticky; it covered his hand like a glove, and slipped through the cracks of his fingers, dripping slowly to the grass beneath him. The old gray house groaned loudly behind him, voicing its annoyance quite clearly in the dull afternoon light.

"Why?" He whispered slowly, turning slightly to spot the other boy's lithe figure standing only inches away.

Sad crimson eyes couldn't look into his own, their owner falling to his knees beside the puddle. Through the dark liquid, Haru could see his own reflection, alone, without a trace of the beautiful spirit kneeling down to his right.

"Bad things happen to the innocent." He whispered, not noticing -or ignoring- that he couldn't see himself in the reflection.

Big green eyes stared up blankly at the two boys, pearly white fur stained with red crust. A long gash ran up the creature's side, bone and organs spilling out and leaving the corpse's insides empty.

Its little limbs were scattered across the lawn, giving it the look of a pathetic red and white ball of fur. The ears were still pinned back, and fear remained in its small face. Haru found himself on the verge of tears, wondering why such a little thing deserved to die, and he did not.

He jumped slightly as his love's hand reached toward the small thing, closing its eyes gently.

"Maybe he's happier now, in cat heaven." The boy muttered kindly.

Haru found himself feeling mildly amused for the first time in three days, since the afternoon his wretched grandmother found herself falling off the rooftop, and bruised his arm in her crushing grip.

"Do you actually think cat's go to heaven?" He drew out slowly.

The other boy shrugged, bringing his beautifully haunted stare to the younger boy's face.

"He has to go _somewhere_." He mustered. "Everything goes _somewhere_."

---

"Haru!" His mother gasped, when he finally made his way back into the house. "You're filthy!"

He simply nodded, mumbling something about a dead cat, and how he slipped on the blood, before making his way up the stairs to clean himself off. He hadn't said much to anyone since "the incident", as they'd come to call it, but the woman really couldn't blame him. It almost seemed to her, with her knowledge in the supernatural, that whatever demon resided in their home, it had taken a liking to her eldest son.

She huffed suddenly, realizing that in all the haste to unpack and find out what exactly was haunting their home, she'd misplaced the dish soap. Cursing slightly at her rotten luck, she hunched down to look in the cabnet under the sink, but stopped as a sudden clicking noise sounded behind its doors.

_'click, click' _and she could swear she heard a soft _'meow',_ if she listened very closely.

The thumping of her heart, however, seemed to drown out both sounds, as her shakey hand reached nervously toward the tiny silver knob of the door. The clicking picked up speed, and the mewling mutated into tortured yowls, and her pulse speed up, and her hand came ever so closer, before-

"Don't open that, it's not in there." She almost screamed at the unfamiliar voice, and turned so fast that she felt she'd given herself whiplash.

In clear daylight stood the hazy form of a teenage boy, the bright lighting making it quite obvious that he wasn't real. Through him, she could still see the hallway, and the dreadful off-white color of the its walls.

And those eyes, those dull crimson eyes brought back such horrible memories, the conversations she'd had with the town's people, the warning she'd recieved from the realtor before moving into the old house.

_'children used to sneak into that old house, and see who could stay inside the longest, but sometimes, they wouldn't make it out, only to be found hours later, gutless and ripped to shreds on the side of the road, or in a corn field miles away.'_

"You're-" She tried to speak, but her emotions were caught in her throat, and her words came out as a choked gurgle.

The figure shook his head, imaginary specks of dirt and blood floating in the air -like a halo- around him.

"You shouldn't open doors that make you nervous." He spoke in a low voice. "Especially in a place like this."

The older woman found herself nodding dumbly, and the spirit smiled, evaporating into the morning light. She blinked, rubbing her dark eyes with the back of her hand.

_'That was sure dramatic.'_

---

"They don't mean us any harm." His voice shook with anger, and the walls creaked in response. "If you want them gone, scare them away! If you go around killing innocent people, someone's going to end up burning us to the ground!"

A crack sounded throughout the cellar, and a chair was smashed against the stone wall. Moans and screeches filled the dark space, unnoticed by the living, breathing inhabitants of the house.

"I'm not so little anymore," He hissed, his own crimson irises glaring dangerously. "I won't just stand here while you slaughter a good family."

The windows creaked, arguing that the deaths hadn't been without reason, that the old woman was greedy, she'd stolen more than the family's dignity before she'd met her end, and if it hadn't gotten rid of those children, they would have destroyed it.

Kyo scowled, shoulders locked, breath short.

"Fine." He forced out through gridded teeth. "But if you hurt Haru or his family, I'll destroy you myself."

As the undead teen made his way through the ceiling, in his anger he missed the walls churning in rage, and the windows banging shut, as the house seethed at its master's orders, and bristled in jealousy.

_'Giving everything for you, keeping those terrible people away, granting you eternal life, and you turn your back on us for a living being.'_

In the darkest room of the Sohma's new house, without a sound, whatever hell resided within its walls decided, that if dying was the only way to keep its one and only love safe from the heartbreak that was sure to come, so be it.

_'Hatsuharu Sohma, you will rot in these walls, and unlike our master, the police won't find your remains.'_

Later that night, when Kisa went missing, Kyo couldn't say he was surprised.

**to be continued**

--

I had two versions of this chapter ready, one where Haru becomes more crazy than ever, while Police-Man-Hatori meets his end at the hands of Kyo's house-demon thing, but it came out too bland, so.. ehh.

Hatori, you'll always be dead in _my_ eyes, don't you worry!!

The whole _'that was sure dramatic'_ part was inspired by Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows, when Harry takes the snitch, while Ron, Hermione, and Scrimgeour are staring at him, and when nothing happens, he's like, "That was dramatic."

ahh, reviews are always appreciated!


	12. The Derisory

_Live Me, Breathe Me _is officially a preteen.

--

**Chapter Twelve**

**"The Derisory"**

_'The sky was so beautiful that morning; so pure and blue, like my mother's eyes when she was sober. When drunken, I think it was just my imagination, but they seemed dark and cold, like Peter's always seemed to be. The air held a vague sense of cold, the first sign that fall was creeping in fast, as me and mom raked leaves on the front lawn._

_"Mom?" I spoke slowly through injured lips, mournfully remembering how she'd cried upon realizing that it was she- and not the terrible children at school -that had caused her own child such pain._

_She stared kindly at me with pain-filled, breathtaking blue eyes, a small 'hm, honey?' slipping passed her own chapped (from nights of fighting with the so-called "love of her life") lips._

_"I don't like Peter." I'd whispered the name with such a fear, a sharp shuddering, and a determination to be strong in front of the woman that was supposed to love me, but just had a hard time showing it._

_She'd asked me why, thin brows knotting in concern as she stopped in mid-rake, and placed the old tool against the side of the house._

_"He, um.." Tears stung my eyes, and I turned from her to wipe them away. "He acts different when you're not around, he.. He touches me in ways that he's not supposed to."_

_How else is a fourteen year old boy supposed to tell his alcoholic mother that her boyfriend is molesting him?_

_I heard her gasp, and before I had time to apologize for upsetting her, two thin, comforting arms wrapped around me. She was shaking against me, and I could only sit there as she cried, too numb to feel anything but her warm years bleeding into my shirt, but loving my mother too much to push her away._

_Later that night, after the leaves were burned, and we'd fried hotdogs and mashmellos over the flames, I lay contently in my bed, thinking that finally, everything was going to change; that mom would stop drinking, and that bastard would never hurt me again._

_I was woken from my dreams by the sound of glass shattering, voices screaming through the thin walls, and rain pounding relentlessly against my bedroom window._

_'Don't listen' The walls whispered as the rain became louder and louder._

_I wish I hadn't. I wish I'd pulled my cover over my head and forced myself into an uneasy slumber, but I knew, deep down, that something was wrong, and the house didn't give a damn what happened to my beloved mother._

_"Burn in Hell, you fucking bitch!" I heard Peter's voice bellow. "You slap the little bastard around all the time! What the fuck does it matter if I touched his dick a few times?! The little shit probably enjoyed it!"_

_My face flushed in shame, as my mother's voice screamed incoherently through the night. There was another crash, the shattering of glass, and the sound of my mom screaming. I sprung out of bed so quickly I almost lost footing as I landed._

_The crying grew louder as I flew down the stairs, and with each step, the house warned me not to go further, that they could keep me safe inside my room, but not downstairs, out in the open._

_Mom lay in a heap, curled pathetically in the kithen corner. Her face was bleeding terribly, as Peter stood over her small form._

_"That's what you get, you greedy piece of shit!" He roared, kicking her sharply. "You think you can spend all my money on booze, and not give anything in return?"_

_He sneered, raising his foot to stomp down on her-_

_"Don't touch her!" I screamed, and every door in the house slammed closed._

_The bastard smiled down at me in a way that made my skin crawl, and I felt dirtier than ever before._

_"I have to say, the kid's got something about him that you never had." His eyes bore into mine, but his words were directed toward my mother. "And besides, I've never hit him. I don't give him those nasty bruises. I've never done anything that leaves a mark."_

_"Don't touch me!" I screeched, but before I could pull away, he'd grabbed my shoulders firmly._

_"I can do whatever I want." He purred, and as if he'd read my mind, he added, "and that bitch can't do a thing. She knows without me she's got nothing. Just an ugly old house, and a useless faggot son."_

_With that, he forced his lips onto mine, hands groping places that a decent man would never grab a fourteen year old boy. All the while, my mother just cried, and we cried together, as her boyfriend defiled me infront of her very eyes, and she did nothing to stop him-'_

"Hatsuharu! Hatsuharu Sohma!" An old, knarled hand waved in front of his face, and Haru shook his head, eyes finally focusing on the worried old woman sitting in front of him, clipboard lying carelessly on the floor beside her.

"What did you see?" She asked, picking the item off the floor and scribbling something down as she did so. "Was your friend -Kyo, was it?- talking to you? Is he here?"

The teen was silent for a moment, eyes flashing with confusion. Then, as if remembering where he was, let out a soft sigh and leaned back in his chair.

"He can't leave the house, but yeah, I don't think he means to, but he's always sending me memories of why he's still here, on earth, instead of in heaven, or wherever the Hell he believes people go when they die."

The woman nodded, indicating that she wanted him to go on.

"Why does this have anything to do with Kisa?" He asked suddenly. "You don't think_ I _did it, do you?"

He should have sounded angry, and he wished he had, but in reality, he seemed more guilty than ever, with his monotone, and complete "I don't give a shit" attitude, even as his baby sister lay barely alive in the hospital.

He found it hard, however, to act like he cared, when in reality, not even _Kisa_ did. She'd smiled up at him, telling him of the visions that should have scared her beyond repair, and how she'd ended up bloody and missing her entire left hand, in a cornfield three miles from their home.

_'There were voices,' _She had said. _'and a loud tapping. I sat down on my bed, and a long, dead hand shot out, and drug me into a place that I didn't recognize. I felt a sudden pain through my entire body, then I woke up in a field. Kyo was there, and he told me that I should have been killed, that the house was evil and we should leave right now. He started telling me something else, but everything went black, and I ended up here.'_

'and _I_ ended up _here_.' Haru couldn't help but groan in his head.

_Here_ was in a stiff leather seat, in a stuffy, dark room on the third floor of the hospital -the psych ward- staring at an elderly therapist that he couldn't say he disliked, but as he hated therapy altogether, it was hard not to berate her every move.

There was a knock on the door, and the old woman told him to wait just one moment. The visitor was a tall, balding man that seemed to find himself quite important, and as the two conversed quietly in the doorway, Haru couldn't surpress the voice that whispered through his mind.

_'They think you did it.' It drew out, in his own voice, but with such a bitter edge, that it almost didn't sound like him._

_'Only because of you, black.' He found himself answering. 'If you hadn't hurt that kid, they wouldn't suspect me of hurting Kisa.'_

_There was a curt laugh, and the voice spat: "What the fuck was I supposed to do? Let him get away with saying that shit?! You _do _remember what he said, right?'_

_As if to proove his point, memories of the previous year flashed through his head. Eating lunch alone as the other kids stared, hearing the whispers as he passed, and a tall, muscular boy calling him a freak in front of half the class._

_'you didn't have to break his arm.' he muttered, stopping suddenly as he heard the therapist murmur his name._

"It _has_ to be him." She hissed, and Haru wondered if she knew he could hear her. "You know how violent he's been in the past, and he's picked up a new friend, that I'm _sure_ will evolve into a new personality."

The man's mouth moved, but he couldn't make out his words.

"He's becoming more unstable by the days." The old woman's eyes shown concern, and Haru couldn't bring himself to hate her for the things she said. Afterall, he understood just how crazy he was, and he knew, if he was normal, he wouldn't believe his story for a second.

"-he claims to be in love with this new friend. It's strange, really, and a little sickening." She paused to clear her throat. "He says that this _Kyo _is a ghost that lives in his house, that he appears as a bloody, oozing corpse that he can actually _touch_ and _feel_."

They continued to speak, but Haru drowned them out. At the mention of Kyo, his groin had -unfortunately- decided it wanted to react, and even after the man left, this bothered him very much.

Even when driving home with his determined-that-he-was-innocent parents, as they ranted about how he'd never hurt a fly, let alone a sweet little girl like Kisa, his manhood pulsed between his legs, and it took all his self restraint not to punch the damn thing until it finally stopped throbbing.

No one seemed to notice this, however, and he couldn't help but feel thankful for it.

The second the car pulled into the driveway, Haru flew out the door (either not noticing, or not caring that it was still moving), and hurried into the bathroom for a shower. For all the pain it had caused him, he couldn't bring himself to make the water cold and just wait for the damn thing to go away, and the windows and mirrors were soon fogged, as the sound of his panting was lost in the splashing of the water.

He couldn't quite figure out why, but he felt strangely _exposed_.

Maybe, if he'd payed more attention, he would have noticed the flustered figure, standing awkwardly beside the toilet, who couldn't quite pull his crimson eyes away. When the water was turned off, and Haru stepped out into the steamy bathroom, he was the only one there.

Kyo, now watching from inside the shower, realized that getting caught watching the teen doing such a personal thing _once_ was enough, and though he had no intention to stop anytime soon, he refused to be seen again.

Especially since, though he was dead, his nether regions didn't seem to be.

**to be continued**

--

The last chapter sucked ass.

Nothing scary, barely any angst, no humor.. _nothing_.

So I tried to make up for it, and I have to say, I'm quite happy with this.

The shower idea pretty much belongs to flyingdaggers.


	13. The Calumnious

**Chapter Thirteen**

**"The Calumnious"**

"Kyo?" Haru called, flicking the flashlight in every corner, willing the spirit to make his appearance. "Are you here?!"

Besides the meager light shining from his hand, and a handfull of candles his parents had lit in the basement, the house was pitch black, and unfortunately, still moaning and groaning as it did every other day.

When the thumping called through the halls, Haru was ready to cry out in frustration.

"Kyo!" His voice rose in pitch, and for a moment, he was thankful that his parents believed in ghosts, and didn't think he was chasing his imaginary friend. "Kyo, are you mad at me?! Did I do something wrong?!"

It wasn't like he hadn't expected to soft whisper of _'get out!' _to run softly over his ears, but the feeling he was waiting for, that sudden tingling up his spine, hadn't greeted him in hours.

The thumping grew louder as he drew closer to his own bedroom, hushed voices muffled by the thin wooden door. Heart thumping, breath hitched, he reached slowly for the doorknob as he had just weeks ago, the day his parent's moved him to this living hell.

_'thump, thump-'_

His tembling fingers gripped the loose metal knob, as the voices -music, and the soft melodies of a song he'd never heard- called to him, luring him into a falso sense of security.

_'H-h-hey, I wanna li-live until-il you-'_

The door flew open, and the radio continued to skip, the woman's sweet voice becoming demonic.

_'until y-you die alone, and w-will.'_

He had no chance to scream, hadn't even managed to open his mouth before darkness consumed him, pulling him deep within its depths, and the door slammed closed behind him.

_'R-run, run, r-r-run, catch-ach me if y-you can.'_

and then, as quickly and suddenly as he'd been taken, there was silence. Total, complete silence, that filled every pore of his being, and he could hear the blood pumping in his ears, through the darkness, the pain that squeezed his lungs.

_'ba-bump,' _said his heart. _'ba-bump, ba-bump, ba-bump.'_

Silence, and a never ending pain. The smell of death filled his nose, and he could taste it bubbling in his throat.

_'ba-bump, ba-bump, ba-'_

_"Baby, Mommy's not gonna hurt you!"_

A drunken woman -Kyo's mother, Haru could see her stumbling down the stairs, beating her innocent child, watching helplessly as her abusive boyfriend defiled her own son, ingoring his cries for help.

..and he could see her, eyes cold and hateful, as she buried the child's mangled corpse, movements clumsy from alcohol.

The images flashed, and she lay on her back, skin charred, half of her figure hanging from the broken window of her old car. Her jet black hair fell all around her, over her small breasts, bewteen full, bruised lips, and slipping into the large crack that oozed crimson from her forehead.

_"Hey, that's him! The demon kid!" _

Memories that he'd never seen before, of the children that tortured Kyo's younger self, mutilating into mangled corpses, maggots crawling over rotting flesh, crawling into empty eyesockets.

He was expecting the last, the most powerful vision. It sent a cold rush over his skin, as the stinging sensation grew tenfold.

_"You slap the little bastard around all the time! What the fuck does it matter if I touched his dick a few times?! The little shit probably liked it!"_

His anger choked him, fists shook, jaw clenched, and the pain suddenly stopped.

_"I.. I want.. you."_

"Haru?! Wake up dammit!"

His eyes snapped open, and despite his dizziness, he could still sense the slight feeling of deja vu. He pulled his dreamy gaze to the speaker, whos pretty crimson eyes seemed different tonight, absent of the extreme sadness they usually held, and filled with a passion that made Haru only fall in love with him more.

A cute little blush settled upon the orange headed ghost's face when he noticed Haru staring. Could he see the _still _annoyingly obvious bulge that Kyo was trying oh-so hard to hide (but couldn't work up the nerve to take care of as Haru had)?

"Are you okay?" The pale, shaking teen asked.

"I should be asking you that." The other shot back, then added reluctantly, "Why?"

Haru shrugged, sitting up and brushing the lint from his shirt.

"You look hot and bothered." He drew out, eyes lingering on Kyo's lower half for a mere second, before snapping back to his cherry-colored face.

The specter coughed, eyes wide. He stood suddenly, without a word, and turned his back to the other teen. From behind, the black and white haired boy could see his arms cross, his feet shuffle on the hard wood floor, and it wasn't hard to imagine the scowl on his face.

"I do _not_!" he bit out.

Haru raised an eyebrow.

".._What_?!" Kyo screeched, forgetting his _problem_, and spinning to face the living boy. "Do you think I'm lying?!"

Tired eyes ran from the floor, trying to reach the ghost's face, but stopped dead around his waistline, drinking in the not-so-humble sight of his boyfriend's desire. As if just realizing the pulsing pain between his legs, Kyo covered himself quickly, preparing to flee at the sound of laughter.

But there was none.

The sensation of a harnd on his shoulder sent shivers up his spine, and he cherished the sense of feeling after so many years of numbness. His eyes locked onto those of the now standing Haru, as the teen snaked his arms around his hips.

"I love you." He whispered huskily, pausing to plant a kiss on the ghost's orange head. "And I'll do anything you ask of me. Nothing more."

For a moment, pain clouded his crimson gaze, but it was erased by the second kiss, gone by the time he opened his dreamy eyes. Haru's hands were cupping his backside rather unromantically, and it was obvious that he'd learned everything he knew about sex from his school health class and hardcore pornography.

"So.. what _do_ you want?"

At this, Kyo's eyes met the floor, and he stared at it long and hard, memorizing the awkward way that the wood curved, doing anything to keep from looking into those passion glazed eyes.

"I want.." He drew out, fingers trembling in the fabric of Haru's black shirt. "I want you to-"

He froze, shame coloring his cheeks and self loathing settling in the pit of his stomach.

and in the blink of an eye, he was gone.

--

The song is _'Until I Die' _by Brandi Carlile.


	14. The Imminence of an Ending

**Chapter Fourteen**

**"The Imminence of an Ending"**

_Like a virus, you've sunken in. We've let you take over, surrendering ourselves to your every whim, sacrificing our safety for your own. Shielding you from the harshness of the outside world, and bearing the brunt of your childish rage._

_..and look at you now; what have we taught you?_

_You should have known better than to trust those.. people._

_The mortal soul is preplexing, disgustingly greedy, and those who it resides in will do anything for power. (power over other creatures, power over themselves, power over the dead. It doesn't matter to them)_

_For hurting you, these people will die, and we will take no greater pleasure than watching the light leave that teenage bastard's eyes._

_--_

Haru sighed loudly, rubbing his shoulder where -just moments ago- a shaking hand had grasped the material of his shirt. It was times like these, when reaching the other boy was impossible, that he wondered if he was simply an illusion, a character his mind had conjured up to keep it company.

The spirit was bewildering, real or not, and he wasn't sure just how much longer he could deal with the stress.

"Haru?"

He shifted at the sound, and his eyes fell on the nervous silhouette of his mother. She was holding something, bags of some kind, and the sight left a sickening worry lodged deep within his stomach. Without waiting for a reply, she stepped forward, dropping her packages on the wooden floor (of what he now recognized as his bedroom) and took him in her arms.

"Haru, we're leaving, okay?" She was crying quietly through her words. "I want you to pack your things, but only what you really need."

The ceiling ceaked loudly, and the woman cringed.

"Mom.. what happened?"

She let out a gasp, holding her son like her life depended on it, and only then did he notice the deep gashes running down her cheeks, over a sweating colarbone, and into a blackened blood stain on her breast.

"You're father and I.." Her fingers shook desperately. "W-we went into the basement.. there was this crying noise, it was so disgusting, but we were drawn to it.. Y-you're father's condition is worse than mine. Hiro's terrified, and I think we'd be better off as far away from this.. this goddamn _house_ as possible.."

By now the windows were shaking, and the floor groaned. The loud tapping that they'd grown used to picked up, louder than ever before, and in the distance, he could hear the faint hiss of _'help me!'._

"But mom," Haru whispered. "Kyo-"

_"Kyo isn't _real_, honey!"_

The doors slammed, and a cry of fear could be heard from downstairs. The computer screen lit up, lights flickered, voices hollered all around them._ "It's what you fucking get!" _They screamed. _"Burn in Hell! Burn in Hell!"_

Music burst out from the radio, no skipping or static, but the notes were off tune, and the vocals were a low, demonic rumble.

He held his mother close, watching in horror as the transparent image of a woman stumbled through the hall, brandishing a bottle of whisky and rubbing her temple, where an ugly purple bruise was swelling.

_"Baby!" _She called. _"You know mommy loves you!"_

On the computer screen, words were flashing, and sadistic images loomed in the background. A man bleeding blackness from his eyes, a woman's skin being peeled off. The room filled with the scent of death, flies swarmed and every window.

"Haru!" Red eyes begged him to follow the voice, and without wasting a second, he ducked his head, held his mother close, and trampled through the clouds of dirt, stench, and flies.

"What the hell are you doing?" Kyo called into the air, but nothing changed, no calm set upon the house. It didn't seem to be listening.

He could hear his family calling to them, urging them down the stairs.

"Haru, you guys have to get out of here, okay?" The spirit yelled above the noise, shaking him into attention. "and don't you _dare_ look back until you're in the next city, sitting by Kisa's hospital bed."

Haru shook his head, mouth hanging open uselessly.

_"Get your family out of here, dammit!"_

The long, shadowed figures that had pulled Kyo's younger self into the darkness, what seemed now to be a distant memory, lurked in the darkness of the bedroom, eyes gleaming in the flickering light.

Kyo growled in frustration, grabbing his boyfriend by the wrist and pulling him down the stairs. As they approached the landing, they reeled back in shock. Flames danced on the walls, filling the kitchen completely and spreading to the livingroom where Hiro and Haru's injured father stood, trying to no avail to douse the flames.

In the center of the floor, the wood sunk in, splinters sticking out around a gigantic hole. Wind was whirling around the room, sucking everything too light or loose into the chasm. His mother broke away, calling wildly for her husband.

_For hurting you, these people will die._

The ceiling cracked, trails of dark liquid seeping down the walls.

_you can't save them._

**to be continued**

--

the next chapter is technically the last, but the epilogue will be pretty long.


	15. The Consequence

**Chapter Chapter Fifteen**

**"The Consequence"**

The house shook violently, churning in an angry flurry of emotions. Slamming filled the air, as objects flew across the room, ramming into one another, crashing dully against the walls. The hole in the floor was growing larger, sucking anything and everything into its dark depths.

A heart wrenching scream filled the air, and all eyes turned to Kyo.

The walls were burning, paint dripping slowing through the black and ash. Haru stood rooted, watching in terror as many long, sickly black arms tore at the red eyed boy's flesh, dragging him closer and closer to the gaping opening. Dark, tainted liquid seeped from his injuries, and he called out desperately for his love.

"Haru!"

Hollow, white, _evil_ eyes bore into his soul, the monsters staring him down, and he couldn't move an inch.

"Please!" Kyo hollered. "Help me!"

The younger boy lingered for only a moment longer, lunging recklessly at the dead boy, grasping a cold hand in his. The dark figures only pulled harder, pale eyes glowing hatefully at the teens. Haru clasped a hand around the nearest solid object -the couch that hadn't seemed to move an inch- and ripped the orange haired boy from the creatures.

A second scream filled the air, and he stared in horror as the dead boys skin ripped between his fingers.

More blood poured onto the floor beneath them, as Haru drug the injured teen away from the creatures, heart racing so fast he wondered if he would have a attack. The lights flickered on and off, as Kyo's lids fell, and his eyes glazed over. The living boy watched in horror, darkness clouding the corners of his own vision.

"Leave us alone!" Haru vaguely heard his mother's voice scream.

Light burst into his sight, and an intense heat prickled over his skin, but the darkness grew, and he found impossible to move.

"H-haru," Kyo's voice cracked. "You have to go! You're going to die in here!"

Tears filled Kyo's crimson eyes.

"The house is burning." He tried uselessly to push the boy away.

_'when it's destroyed, I'll leave you forever.'_

Haru stared down at him with an emotion that Kyo couldn't understand. His hands ran gently over the unmarred skin of Kyo's arms, creating goosbumps on the dead boy's skin. He smiled sadly, brown eyes tearing up to match his love's.

_'but at least.. at least this house will never hurt anyone ever again.'_

"Haru!" He exclaimed. "Get out of here! Go to your family!"

But the teen did neither, still staring longingly into the face of the boy beneath him.

"I won't go." He whispered.

He earned a slap in the face, not quite realizing what had happened until the sting set in.

"What the fuck are you talking about?! Why not?!"

Haru could tell he was about to earn another slap, and grasped the shaking hand in his larger, paler fingers.

"I need you." He drew out. "and if we can't be together in life, I'll die for you."

If Kyo's heart was beating, it would have stopped.

He captured the brown eyed boy's lips in his own, savoring the bitter sweet taste that filled his mouth. Tears ran in rivers down his bloody face, for once, a pure, clear color, instead of the usual bloody red.

"I don't deserve you." He begged, but a slender finger was placed over his lips.

Flames danced around them, and Kyo gripped himself for the pain he knew wouldn't come - but _God_, how he wished it would. Only then could he feel better about what he was doing to the younger boy, stealing his life away.

_'I'm not worth it.'_

The ceiling caved, furnature from the room above crashing onto the floor below. The Sohma family -absent of one member- stared in horror as the windows exploded, glass flying in all directions.

"Haru!" Mrs. Sohma screamed, mascara dripping, as she fought against her husband's protective hold. "My baby's in there!"

The sirens of a firetruck could be heard miles away, but when the men arrived, hosing down the house, and breaking through the doors..

It was too late.

All that remained were the ashes of an old home, and the memory of a teenage boy.

_fin._

--

it was short, and yes, Haru's family got out of the house before the roof caved in.

how? hopefully I'll remember to explain during the epilogue.


	16. The Epilogue

**Live Me, Breathe Me**

_**epilogue**_

"Are you sure you wanna do this?" The man beside her asked quietly, gripping her small hand in his.

She could only nod.

The sound of an engine revving filled her ears, as her husband started the car once more. They were only a few miles away, and if she turned back now, she could never forgive herself.

Kisa Sohma was twenty-five years old, with a husband and a family.

She shouldn't be afraid of the charred remains of an old house.

Her reflection stared back at her in the window, rain drops sliding down the glass. Her eyes were still golden, but they held a hollow glow. Her face was pale, haunted, and her hair ran down her shoulders, flowing over her lithe figure.

She snapped back into reality at the sound of crumbling gravel, and the car came to a stop. She looked out at the patch of barren land, a long area of dirt stretching out across the otherwise grassy fields.

Nervous hands opened the door, and she could feel her pulse quicken.

She made her way slowly toward the clearing, rain sprinkling against her face. As she neared her destination, a small glint of color caught her eyes, and she forced herself to step close enough to touch it.

A lone flower, growing in the center of the dirt. It was orange with white tips, red and black clashing as it neared the center. It seemed to glow in the gloom of the rain, and she wondered if she should dig it up and bring it home.

_'Kisa' _she could almost hear him whisper, and tears poured over her dark eyelashes.

A warmth filled her entire being, while a small chill ran up her spine. She could almost feel him holding her, like he used to when she was scared, and she shivered, returning the imaginary embrace.

_"I'm so proud of you." _The wind whispered in her ear, and she choked on the feelings that coursed through her body.

The breeze picked up, and the rain fell harder, as the warmth left her small figure, and the tingle in her spine faded away. She was left with a feeling of completion, as her husband headed toward her with an umbrella and a warm blanket.

As they climbed into the car, and slowly drove away, two pairs of eyes watched them from the center of the dirt.

Droplets splashed against the field, as the wind blew gently against the trees.

and a small flower, sitting in the center of a dirt patch, faded with the rain.

_the end._

--

I posted a looong, drawn out epilogue about fifteen minutes ago (so if you're having problems with the chapter, that's why). Thank God I found this when I did, because I like it much better. I wrote it around chapter ten, I think.

so.. that's the end. Thank you, all over my readers! I'm so amazed that so many people took interest!

thank you, thank you!


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